When you’re the daughter of a denim industry aficionado, your chances of inheriting the passion for baby blues is are pretty high. That’s exactly what happened to Marta Goldschmied, whose father founded AG Jeans (one of our favorite companies). She’s launching MADE GOLD Denim this season, and the outcome is looking more than promising. The most exciting thing she’s got on tap? Activewear fabrics that look like denim, coined “indigo activewear”. Your mind might default to jeggings, but there is something far more luxurious going on with this formula. We asked Marta a few questions about her new line. Check out her answers below.

Denim Therapy: Obviously you hail from a bloodline of denim expertise (please stop us from making a jeans/genes joke here). Were you raised an expert, or did your interest in denim pique recently?

Marta Goldschmied: Having been brought up in the fashion industry since childhood, it was a natural evolution for me to get involved—especially in the denim industry. Shane and I came together because we shared a vision of creating a new generation of denim, redefining classics while still remaining true to the denim industry’s roots and history. We bring a fresh take and aesthetic on denim, and it’s important for us to take MADE GOLD to the next level every season, which is why we launched with a full ready-to-wear collection including leather pieces and cotton tees and tops in addition to the core denim styles.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned from watching my father is something he’s taught me about life: you don’t have to be the loudest person in the room to be the most respected. That’s the lesson I carry with me throughout this journey. He’s taught me that you have to be truly passionate when building a brand, and that passion and dedication are key to success. There’s no secret design advice.

DT: The phrase “indigo activewear” is immediately inspiring to denim lovers like us who are also into fitness and an active lifestyle. Can you tell us about how that was developed, and the story behind it?

MG: MADE GOLD’s Indigo Activewear has been the most exciting and challenging pieces to design and develop in the collection. While other brands have taken denim styles and offered them in knit activewear fabrics, we decided to do the opposite. We took the elements we know are key in denim, like washes and feel, and offered actual denim designed in activewear styles to make denim even more versatile and essential for customers.

DT: What are your favorite styles from the collection, and how would you style them for fall?

MG: My favorite pieces are the Legend with the 42″ inseam fashion skinny, which stacks up at the bottom. It’s a new take on the skinny jean silhouette, which is a favorite of mine, and is extremely flattering through the leg. I style it with the MADE GOLD cut-off tank and a killer heel, and I’m ready to go.

We’re currently working on our Fall/Winter 2015 collection and are excited to continue developing MADE GOLD products. There are some amazing structured over coats on their way, as well as crisp button ups and more closet essentials to pair with our core denim jean styles.

Check out MADE GOLD for more information, and check out their very cool lookbook below.

Jean Stories (hands-down our favorite read online right now… style muses galore!) interviewed denim-loving babe Alexis Krauss from the band Sleigh Bells about her habit of wearing cut-off jean shorts on stage. She reveals her secret for not showing any butt cheek despite loving uber short shorts, the hypothetical star sign of her Levi’s, and which of her own songs captures the way she feels about her denim habit. Check out the full interview here.

Owner Francine Rabinovich and denim expert Raffael Flores-Contreras are featured in the latest episode of the TheCrosby Press Denim Mythbusters! The two talk washing jeans in the ocean, raw denim addiction, and even sticking your jeans in the oven. Check it out below.

Via The Crosby Press: For Episode 3 of Denim Mythbusters, we rolled uptown to the Garment District, where our savvy denim-saving friends at Denim Therapy bring jeans back from the dead. Francine Rabinovich & Raffael Flores tell us some of the weirder solutions they’ve heard from their customers for cleaning denim, from baking jeans in an oven, to rolling around in the surf.

Last week we introduced you to Tears Of Bleu, the denim brand saturated with color and treated with unique washes. This week, we’re bringing you behind the scenes with designer Caius Olowu. Find out how the brand got its start, where the name comes from, and become a part of the Tears Of Bleu denim revolution!

Denim Therapy: We love the energy coming from this brand. Let’s start from the beginning. Can you talk about the creation story, beginnings in Japan, and how it grew to be what it is now?

Tears Of Bleu: I designed and sold my first denim line when I was still a student: 250 units of women’s Jeans, skirts and tops for Urban Outfitters UK that my sister and I cut and sewed ourselves on my living room floor. The collection ended up in Japan and I was offered a design Job. In 2006 I designed a menswear line in Japan and created a few pairs of jeans for myself (because I couldn’t find Jeans that fit me in Japan).

During a sales meeting a buyer asked where I got those jeans and wanted to place an order. Just as I was about to start producing my first order, True Religion Brand Jeans offered me a Senior design position in the US so I put the brand to rest for 4 years.

In 2010 I left True Religion and showed a few pieces that I created to a buyer in Japan. He placed 400 units and said he had never seen anything like it. I didn’t even have a name for it yet, but went with Tears of Bleu after my daughter, whose Japanese name is “Namida Blue” which means Blue Tears. It was a perfect metaphor for denim.

Now we are sold in Japan, US, UK, Germany and this coming Fall we’ll be in Hong Kong and and South Korea.

DT: What are some of the inspirations and aesthetics behind the designs in the current line? Any story behind the vibrant color scheme?

TOB: I was a civil engineer before I went back to college to study Fashion and Tailoring. I believe in the beauty of construction and every style has elements of tailoring, from the construction of the bound inseams on our premium turn-ups to how we create our women’s skinny to give a slim appearance.

The vibrant colors and processing are a completely new way of coloring denim developed by Jean Genie Studio and myself. I wanted my FW’12 look to represent contrast. I wanted to do color denim differently from everyone else. We use an enzyme wash to strip down the indigo before adding color. This keeps the highs and the lows in the texture.

DT: Are there any pre-design rituals for the team? Do the US and Japan teams meet often?

TOB: No design rituals, only that we continue with the same philosophy as we began with. We work separately from our Japan team who are based in Okayama Japan: they bring classic traditional modern jeans wear, with a vintage twist. The US team brings newness and experimentation. We do regularly exchange ideas inspired by the old, but what we do is for a new generation.

DT: Describe your ideal target customer.

TOB: A true denim lover who see’s denim as a lifestyle, an essential item in their everyday wear, someone who isn’t afraid to try something new, your everyday guy or girl that looks at denim as a revolution.

DT: How do you feel about the massive influence street style and blogs are having on fashion right now?

TOB: I have always believed that trends happen from the bottom up. They begin on the streets and end up on the catwalks. Thanks to bloggers, people are now much more aware of that. It’s the kids on the street that are really the leaders for trying something new and different which is noticed by designers and then in turn becomes fashion. The bloggers feed our desires and needs to know what new!

TOB: It would have to be David Beckham, Zoe Saldana, Lapo Elkann and Gwen Stefani they all have individual self-styles, I would love to see them all in Tears of Bleu.

DT: What are the most popular washes/fits in the line? What are your favorites?

TOB: The most popular washes are the Milkyway wash—an updated tie dye smoothed out for a flowy, celestial look—Double star and ALEX wash. My favorite fits are the Lennon (our men’s slim skinny), the Chloe (our women’s premium skinny), and the Hendrix boot cut.

DT: How many pairs of jeans do you own?

TOB: I own 80 pairs of Jeans, Tears of Bleu, G Star, Gap and True Religion.

DT: Can you give us hint about what’s next for Tears of Bleu?

TOB: What’s next is a new collection of Hand Crafted Jeans. Each piece is unique, not only from a look point but also from the way we approach the aesthetics. All the hardware is authentic vintage, sourced through flea markets and auction sites. The inside of the waistband has a hanger loop that allows the wearer to hang their jeans up like they would a coat and we have also included an aged Leather back patch without any visible branding.

We intend to show that branding can come not only through logos but also through the construction of a garment.

Denim Therapy had a chance to interview Big Star USA‘s women’s designer Miki Flores on the summer lookbook, the brand’s latest happenings, and what’s in store for next season. Go behind the scenes with this exclusive Q&A!

Denim Therapy: We’re in love with the Summer 2012 campaign/lookbook. What was the inspiration behind it?

Big Star: We used “Road Trip” as our theme for the Spring look book. A bit of a laid back bohemian vibe, which fit perfectly with our collection that included vintage denims, neon shorts and easy fitting jersey dress.

DT: Who is the Big Star customer right now?

BS: Our customers are independent and confident individuals who take youthful and modern approach when it comes to styling their outfits.

DT: What kind of washes are being emphasized in the line right now?

BS: We have always focused on bringing authentic denim washes to our customers. For this season, we focused a little more on paler shades and a bit of destruction with a twist of contemporary furnishings.

DT: Does your team have any pre-designing rituals?

BS: We normally take inspiration research trips to Europe or Asia to bring in freshness and also to step out of our daily routines. But doing vintage treasure hunts at flea markets or vintage stores are also very inspiring as well.

DT: How do you see street style/the web/developments in the online fashion community shaping the brand’s interaction (and even its DNA) moving forward?

BS: They play a huge role in shaping trends and what gets accepted at mass level. Most of us are spending more and more of our awake moments online or on our phones and seeing these influencers pushing new and edgier looks is definitely helping trend directions. I believe this plays a huge role on current trends of colors and prints.

DT: Finally, what message would you like to give to denim consumers right now?

Denim Therapy had the chance to interview Agave Denim designer Jeff Shafer on their latest releases, evolving design process, and what sets them apart from other denim brands on the market right now. Check out the answers below!

Denim Therapy: Thanks so much for taking the time to Q&A with us. First, tell us a bit about what the design process is like for each collection.

Agave Denim: First, we have a meeting to discuss our current inspiration. We talk about the mood, colors, textures, graphics, etc, and Lauren makes a giant story board. We review several “top secret” color trend services to compare to our inspiration board before generating a first draft color story. We review thousands of fabrics and order hundreds of swatches. Once we narrow down swatches and finalize our color story, we review accessories, packaging, fits, shapes, and silhouettes. We edit, design, drop, and curate, while keeping emerging trends in mind.

Lauren creates patterns and sews samples for the womens line based on the fits and silhouettes we’ve developed. Then comes the merchandising plan and ordering of sample fabrics. After cutting and sewing the first protos, we make the necessary adjustments, and then start shooting our lookbooks!

DT: Agave Denim is definitely known for rich, interesting fabrics. How do you go about sourcing them? When do you know a fabric is perfect?

AD: Over the years, we’ve gotten to know the best mills in the world, from Japan to Italy, Spain, Greece… But you can only “learn” so much about fabric. In the end you either have the passion and an instinct to know or you don’t. Really beautiful denims and other quality fabrics get me super stoked.

Similar to a chef, a winemaker or a cheesemaker or quality butcher. I can see the potential of a fabric in its color, yarn character, texture, etc. It’s instinctual.

DT: We think it’s awesome that the two of you work as a team and have the technical and creative aspects of the process covered. How has that shaped the way Agave Denim does things differently?

AD: Lauren taught me all the basics of the industry 20 years ago, including how to put a collection together. Our roles differ in that I’m more into colors, pretty fabrics, seeing the design process through rose colored glasses while she is more technical, tailoring, cost sheets, etc. We both have incredible respect for each other. We share the same vision for design, quality and integrity.

DT: Give us three key words that describe Agave’s line.

AD: Authentic WestCoast Luxury

DT: Do you have any favorites in the spring line you want to shine a spotlight on?

The guys in our office recently became fans of the menswear denim brandOPENMARKET and reviewed a pair of red skinny jeans and dirty-mint skinny jeans accordingly. Launched by designer Kevin Chen, OPENMARKET is all produced, manufactured and designed in LA. We had a chance to ask Kevin some questions and get the behind-the-scenes on what makes this brand unique.

Denim Therapy: Let’s start from the beginning. What inspired you to get this brand off the ground?

Kevin Chen: I’ve always been inspired with all things old and new and I think a lot of that has to do with my affinity with flea markets (like Rose Bowl. It has a lot to do with rediscovering old ideas, and seeing if we can reinvent them. It’s from these experiences coupled with my creative design instincts that I felt I wanted to create a brand that could facilitate old ideas into modern ones. That is the premise of OPENMARKET: a collection that puts new meaning to MODERN work wear.

DT: How do you differentiate yourself from the hundreds of popular denim brands afloat right now?

KC: We pride ourselves upon the fact that OPENMARKET is 100% made in USA, and not only does the collection comprise of our signature 6-pocket denim jeans, it also includes our uniquely oil-stained carpenters, henleys, Tees, chunky-knit sweaters, leather jackets, blazers, denim jackets, hooded/non-hooded sweatshirts in a multitude of fabrics.

All designs reflect a deconstructed approach to vintage work wear, re-engineered with a modern appeal. We like to believe that we extend beyond the traditional denim line, because our collection is multi-dimensional and offers many essential items. Even our denim is done in a non-traditional way (details like the 6-pocket design set them apart).

DT: Do you have any pre-designing rituals?

KC: I’m not sure if it would be called a “ritual”, but I do often research trends by people watching and make a mental note of what they’re wearing. From there I meet with my team and we search for vintage garments (often times at flea markets) that possess old work wear details, good for merging with unique and unexpected fabric.

It’s important to me that my designs are timeless and as the brand grows with each season, I want to add new silhouettes and colors that are modified from the original concept.

DT: Describe your ideal target customer.

KC: Our ideal target customer is a self-assured, confident, cultured, and well-composed man. He is artistic, athletic, and is that guy that is admired by his peers. Not only does he have a good job, but he’s a humanitarian that actively participates in charitable causes. During his free time, he enjoys quality dining but can sensibly appreciate hole in the wall restaurants. He goes by the philosophy of working hard, and playing harder.

DT: What would be your dream collaboration?

KC: In the future, I would like to collaborate with a great footwear company. I want OPENMARKET to have a diverse product line that will dress someone from head to toe.

DT: What are the most popular washes/fits in the line? What are your favorites, and how would you style them?

KC: A few of my favorite pieces is the K8-Grey Herring Carpenter pants, O3-Dk Indigo Raw Blazer, O4-Burgandy Leather Moto Jacket, and our ultra plush O6-Black Alpaca Wool cardigan sweater. I like pairing my bottoms with blazers for a more dressed up look, and when I’m doing a casual look, I like wearing it with a basic t-shirt accompanied with some loafers.

DT: Do you have any favorite/least favorite denim trends right now?

KC: I like that trends are leaning towards a cleaner cut with simpler details. What use to be a market full of logo-centric designs has taken a more subtle approach. However, I do think that in the men’s market, bright and vivid colors will be on the rise. Men today seem to be open to colors. I think it has to do with wanting to diversify their wardrobes and express themselves.

I remember when wearing “pink” signified a man as being more fashion forward, but I do believe times have changed, and colors will be very inspirational. I also think that there will be a transition in their wardrobes as they begin to seek non-denim jeans… or should I say the look and feel of denim, but constructed with non-traditional fabrics.

DT: Street style and style blogs are huge in the industry right now as a source of inspiration, influencing the high-end labels rather than vice versa. How much does street style influence your designing?

KC: I take into account what is happening on the streets. There are a lot of distinct styles that I have seen in “streetwear” and I think it embodies a sense of “coolness” to it. When you look at the OPENMARKET collection, I’m sure you can see a lot of elements that are traditional yet modern, as well as street edgy. It’s important to keep in mind that street styles range from the inexpensive & chic to the lux & exclusive. The OPENMARKET collection will definitely encompass all these elements.

DT: How many pairs of jeans do you own?

KC: I own way too many jeans and too many that I call my favorite. But I’m going to be honest, my two most favorite pairs right now is OPENMARKET K1-6 pocket jeans in Dark Orange, and the K8 Carpenter pant! These two pairs have been on serious rotation for me. Both great washes with amazing fit!

DT: Can you give us hint about what’s next?

KC: Denim tops with non denim bottoms, and of course, a lot of colors.

Denim Therapy: Lets start from the beginning. How did you know you wanted to be a designer?

Brice Partouche: I never wanted to be a designer. I studied medecine. I wanted to be a cardiac surgeon! But I was into music too, playing in bands. Fashion wasn’t (and still not) important to me. It’s all about attitude.

My dad was a jeans maker and I learnt everything from him, even if he tried to keep me out from this business. I guess he wanted me to have a real job… and now we are working together. April77 is a family company. I started the brand in 2001. The idea was simple : clothes that me and my friends want to wear.

DT: Are there other denim brands you consider your immediate competition? How do you differentiate yourself from the hundreds of popular denim brands afloat right now?

BP: We don’t have competitors and if we have well I don’t know them. I guess we are different from others brand because we have a real story to tell. We’re authentic and passionated and that’s what make our customers special. They are more “fans” than customers.
People who knows me will tell you, I’m a real nerd. I feel only concerned by authentic denim brands and I try to avoid that profusion of storyless denim brands flooding the market.

DT: Do you have any pre-designing rituals?

BP: You mean like doing pagan rituals, turning upside down black jeans and waiting for the inspiration? Well not really, but I try to leave Paris for 2 weeks, going to NY or California. The USA have always been my most inspiring country.

DT: Describe the person who represents your ideal target customer—the customer you have in mind when you’re planning a collection.

BP: I figure a one-step-ahead teenager or a 35-year-old guy still stuck in his skaboarding years. At least, both are music nerds , clever customers and not under the fashion industry influence.

DT: What would be your dream collaboration? Any plans of that in the future?

BP: Jeans made with Lady Gaga’s hair would be awesome. But a collaboration with Henri Rollins would be the absolute dream!

DT: What are the most popular washes/fits in the line? What are your favorites, and how would you style them?

BP: The JOEY Overdrive Raw is our best seller. It’s our basic skinny jeans in natural indigo raw denim. It’s unisex. DICTATOR are a slim/straight jeans, very popular too. Raw jeans with a blank or band tee are the best… I’m not a fan of washings. I ‘ve always prefered raw blue or black denim. It’s a real pleasure to see that our customers prefer raw denim as well.

Of course we make couple of washings. They are always inspired by my personal or my friends jeans after 6 months or one year without washing or cleaning. I know it sounds dirty but that’s how jeans are supposed to be worn.

DT: Do you have any favorite/least favorite denim trends right now?

BP: I like open end denim. They were famous in the 70’s and 80’s , when denim fabric production became massive, suppliers had to make cheaper denim. The quality was good because the fabric was thicker…but the price was cheaper.

DT: Street style and style blogs are huge in the industry right now as a source of inspiration, influencing the high end labels rather than vice versa. How much does street style influence your designing?

BP: Well, street style is of course one of my main inspiration. I’m lucky because my job makes me travelling a lot. I meet very inspiring people, some are my friends, some are just random cool guys and girls.

DT: How many pairs of denim do YOU own?

BP: Guess what, I have two pairs : one blue, one black. I wear them till they die, then I change.

DT: Favorite celeb wearing your brand?

The Kills, Amy Winehouse (when she was around), Julian Casablancas.

Keep an eye on April77 for denim-snob approved releases this spring! Huge thanks to Brice Partouche for doing this Q&A with us.

CLOSED is known for classic clothing that meets two basic needs for every modern consumer: function and style. Unhindered by passing trends, the CLOSED collections for men and women are a mix of utilitarian-inspired details, carefully calculated fashion-forward silhouettes, and often neutral color stories that celebrate the rich hues of their denim looks. If you haven’t had a chance to check out the Closed Spring/Summer 12 lookbook, you’ll want to do that ASAP. We had the opportunity to discuss the future of CLOSED and get a sneak peek at what’s going on behind the scenes as well in this exclusive interview below.

Denim Therapy: Lets start from the beginning. What inspired the beginning of the brand?

Closed: The desire to produce authentic, wearable clothing is what inspired us to get the brand off the ground and it continues as our primary motivation today.

DT: Are there other denim brands you consider your immediate competition? How do you differentiate yourself from the hundreds of popular denim brands afloat right now?

Closed: We don’t like to think of other denim brands as competitors, but as comrades. Hopefully we can inspire and push each other to keep working with innovation and artistry. We distinguish ourselves from all the other denim brands because of our highly researched design approach, our innovative dying techniques, and the fact that we’ve been at this for several decades now.

DT: Does your team have any pre-designing rituals?

Closed: We don’t have any specific pre-designing rituals, but we always strive to keep open eyes and minds to the amazing creativity that is going on around us.

DT: Describe the person who represents your ideal target customer—the customer you have in mind when you’re planning a collection.

Closed: Closed is a family brand and we really design for the whole family, all the way from kids to adults. Our clothes are designed in mind with quality, versatility, and comfort – and let’s face it, those three factors are important for everyone (especially when they look good).

DT: Can you give us a hint about what’s next?

Closed: For Spring/Summer we introduced a new satin band along the side of our chino’s which looks so fresh, so its about meshing fabrics this year an element that continues for Fall/Winter with leather matched with sweats/cashmere blends.

DT: What would be your dream collaboration? Any plans of that in the future?

Closed: We are always dreaming up fantastic collaborations in our heads. Closed is a family brand and we truly operate as a family unit with a homegrown approach to collaborations. We are currently casting our next “X Series” campaign, an ongoing collaboration with ten innovators from ten different cities around the globe – art collectors, artists, actors, bloggers and more. The campaign celebrates individualism variety, creativity and location.

DT: What are the most popular washes/fits in the line? What are your favorites, and how would you style them?

Closed: The chino’s are always a hit – they fit perfectly and are basic enough to be dressed up or down.

DT: Street style and style blogs are huge in the industry right now as a source of inspiration, influencing the high end labels rather than vice versa. How much does street style influence your designing?

Closed: Tremendously. We are constantly inspired by street style from across the globe. Our designing is directly influenced by the creativity and innovation from bloggers, artists, editors, and friends.

DT: How many pairs of denim do YOU own?

Closed: Too many to count…

DT: Favorite celeb wearing your brand?

Closed: Jake Gyllenhaal always looks good in CLOSED, as does Elle MacPherson. She really knows how to mix up a sophisticated, ultra-chic elegance to our jeans.

As most of you know, People Style Watch had an epic round of Denim Awards to delve out recently, bestowing honors like Best for Work, Most Eco-Friendly, and Best Butt Boost (see a list of awards and winners below). Honorary titles like these label each winner an “It-Jean” in its category, and makes finding problem-targeting denim easier for consumers to find. We had a chance to ask Senior Market Editor Marissa Rubin a few of our own questions about the awards. Here’s what she had to say.

Denim Therapy: Which brand(s) are you surprised didn’t make the list?

Marissa Rubin: This question for me is really more about the fact that I was surprised a certain jean didn’t win a specific category—or it didn’t even place. Yet then we’d consider it for another category and it’d win. It was unbelievable how everything ultimately came together.

DT: Which brand is your personal favorite in terms of fit?

MR: I am a big fan of DL1961. Their jeans are made with revolutionary four-way stretch denim called XFIT, which NEVER loses its shape. It’s unreal! They honestly suck me in and never sag, bag, or stretch out—regardless of how many wears! I own them in flares, skinnies, high rises, etc. and I always feel my thinnest in them. Plus they have great back pocket placement, so my butt looks lifted and my hips appear narrower—which as a curvy girl my backside is always my biggest gripe.

DT: Which new denim brand are you looking forward to trying out?

MR: In addition to its affordable price point and great fit, it goes beyond basics with its spot-on trend driven jeans. I am truly loving this new line!

DT: Which of your favorite fashion labels should be creating a denim line?

MR: Rebecca Taylor. Her brand already resonates with celebs and fashionistas everywhere, so denim seems like a great addition. From her signature florals, to her chic animal prints, I’d love to see this New Zealander’s girlie feminine take on jeans.

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People Style Watch Denim Award Winners

StyleWatch hand-picked the best jeans of 2011 and takes a look at the most flattering, well-designed, perfectly priced styles out there. We started with more than 700 pairs and whittled it down to the top choices in 25 categories. From petite to plus-size, slimming to butt-boosting, supersexy to eco-friendliest, StyleWatch’s Denim Awards has it all and plenty of ideas for some new favorites to try. Denim Award Winners include:

Celeb Fave Style: Paige Demin ”Verdugo Ultra Skinny” for $158. Tons of celebs from Gwen Stefani to Kate Moss to Rachel Bilson are fans of the soft, super stretchy skinnies. They look great with a simple top, blazer and a great pair of heels.